Gorillaz drop 'Stylo' with help from Bobby Womack and Mos Def

Hints and clues about a new Gorillaz album have been leaking out for over a year now, and today their reps made it official: The cartoon primates will return March 9 with Plastic Beach, whose luminary-stuffed track list you can pore over after the jump. Even better, Gorillaz have just liberated the first single from Plastic Beach. It’s called “Stylo,” you can hear it on YouTube for now before it goes on digital sale Jan. 26, and it boasts guest vocals from Mos Def and the great Bobby Womack. Yes, that Bobby Womack, the soul legend behind classics like 1973’s “Across 110th Street.”

“Stylo” would be pretty cool even without his contributions. At its core it’s a robotic disco groove, accented nicely by Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn’s spaced-out crooning and a few short-but-sweet rhymes from Mos. But man, when Womack’s inimitable roar sweeps in around the 2:00 mark, “Stylo” positively catches fire. The final product is closest in sound to “DARE,” Gorillaz’ 2005 tune featuring Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder, but I think I like this one even better.

Consider this a very promising indication of where Plastic Beach is heading. Give “Stylo” a spin on YouTube, then let us know what you think.